[ad_1]
UC Research Assistant, Shima Dalirirad, brandishes a sensor in the nanoelectronics lab of UC professor Andrew Steckl. Dalirirad conducted a related study on the detection of cortisol in sweat, published this year in the journal "Sensors and Actuators B: Chemistry". Image Credit: Andrew Higley / UC Creative Services
A simple microfluidic platform has been developed to measure stress hormones in sweat, blood, urine or saliva. The test is based on the optical absorbance of biomarkers in the ultraviolet region.
Stress is often called the "silent killer" because of its stealthy and mysterious effects on everything from heart disease to mental health.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have developed a new test to easily and easily measure common stress hormones using sweat, blood, urine or saliva. Ultimately, they hope to turn their ideas into a simple device that patients can use at home to monitor their health.
The results were published this month in the American Chemical Society Sensors.
"I wanted something that was simple and easy to interpret," said Andrew Steckl, a prominent Ohio scholar and professor of electrical engineering at UC College of Engineering and Applied Science.
"It may not give you all the information, but it will tell you if you need a professional who can take over," Steckl said.
The breakthrough was made possible by UC's commitment to research, described in its strategic focus called Next Lives Here.
"We are device engineers in the soul," says Andrew Steckl.
UC researchers have developed a device using ultraviolet light to measure stress hormones in a drop of blood, sweat, urine or saliva. These biomarkers of stress are found in all these fluids, although in different amounts, said Steckl.
"It's not a biomarker, but a number of biomarkers. And it can be applied to different body fluids. That's what's unique, "he said.
Steckl has been studying biosensors for years in his nanoelectronics lab. The journal's latest article is part of a series of research papers on biosensors that his group has written, including one that reviews diagnostic methods at the point of stress biomarker treatment.
His personal experience with a father with a health crisis has informed his research and his opinion that home testing of various health problems would be extremely helpful.
"I often had to take her to the lab or to the doctor to get tested in order to adjust her meds. I thought it would be great if he could do the tests himself to see if he had problems or just imagine things, "Steckl said. "It does not replace lab tests, but could tell patients more or less where they are."
UC has received a grant for the National Science Foundation project and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. Steckl said the army is studying acute stress among its pilots and others who push the boundaries of human performance.
"Pilots are under tremendous stress during missions. The ground controller would like to know when the pilot will reach the limit of his ability to properly control the mission and remove it before a catastrophic end, "said Steckl.
But the UC device has many applications, Steckl said. His laboratory pursues commercial opportunities.
"You are not going to replace a complete laboratory blood test. That's not the intention, "said Steckl. "But if you are able to do the test at home because you do not feel well and want to know where you are, it will indicate if your condition has changed a little or a lot."
The first author of the study, Prajokta Ray, a UC graduate, says she is delighted to be working on such an urgent problem for her doctorate. studies.
"Stress hurts us in many ways. And it falls on you. You do not know how much a period of short or long stress can be devastating, "Ray said. "Many physical ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure and neurological or psychological disorders are attributed to the stress that the patient has undergone. That's what interests me.
Ray said that pbading exams always gave him stress. Understanding how stress affects you individually could be extremely valuable, she said.
"Stress has been a hot topic in the past two years. The researchers made every effort to develop an economic test, simple and effective, and to detect these low-level hormones, "she said. "This test has the potential to create a powerful commercial device. It would be good to see the research moving in that direction. "
The UC is at the forefront of biosensor technology. His labs examine ongoing tests of sweat and diagnoses at the place of treatment, ranging from traumatic brain injury to lead intoxication.
Steckl has also been a leading innovator at UC. His papers have been cited more than 13,000 times, according to Google Scholar. In 2016, he used salmon sperm, a common byproduct of the fishing industry, to replace rare earth metals used in light emitting diodes for a new kind of organic LEDs.
"We are computer engineers in the spirit," said Steckl. "We do not fear things that we do not know much about. We are looking for opportunities. This is a characteristic of electrical engineers. We are not smart enough not to go where we should not. Sometimes it pays!
This article has been republished from documents provided by the University of Cincinnati. Note: Content may have changed for length and content. For more information, please contact the cited source.
Reference:
Ray, P., & Steckl, A.J. (2019). Unlabeled optical detection of several biomarkers in sweat, plasma, urine and saliva. ACS sensors, 4 (5), 1346-1357. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.9b00301
[ad_2]
Source link
